Left Hand Free
Alt - J Lyrics


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Hey, shady baby, I'm hot like the prodigal son
Pick a petal eenie meenie miney moe
And, flower, you're the chosen one

Well, your left hand's free
And your right's in a grip
With another left hand
Watch his right hand slip
Towards his gun, oh, no

I tackle weeds just so the moon buggers nibble
A right hand grip on his Colt single-action army, oh no

Well, your left hand's free
And your right's in a grip
With another left hand
Watch his right hand slip
Towards his gun, oh, no

N-E-O, O-M-G, gee whiz
Girl you're the one for me
Though your man's bigger than I am
All my days he disagrees, oh, no (Speak easy)

Well, my left hand's free
Well, my left hand's free
Well, my left hand's free, oh no

Hey, shady baby, I'm hot
Like the prodigal son
Pick a petal eenie meenie miney moe
And, flower, you're the chosen one

Well, your left hand's free
Well, my left hand's free
Well, my left hand's free




Well, my left hand's free
Well, my left hand's free oh, no

Overall Meaning

The song "Left Hand Free" by Alt-J is a unique and mysterious track that leaves much up to interpretation. The opening verse sets the tone with the lines "Hey, shady baby, I'm hot like the prodigal son/Pick a petal eenie meenie miney moe/And, flower, you're the chosen one." These lines suggest a playful and flirtatious tone, with the singer comparing themselves to the biblical figure of the prodigal son and picking a "flower" as a chosen partner.


However, the chorus paints a different picture: "Well, your left hand's free/And your right's in a grip/With another left hand/Watch his right hand slip/Towards his gun, oh, no." This suggests a tense and dangerous situation, with characters in close proximity and the possibility of violence.


The second verse adds to the sense of danger with the lines, "I tackle weeds just so the moon buggers nibble/A right hand grip on his Colt single-action army, oh no." The imagery of tackling weeds to allow moon buggers to nibble is bizarre and creates a surreal atmosphere. The mention of a Colt single-action army suggests a western or cowboy context, adding to the danger and tension established in the chorus.


Overall, "Left Hand Free" is a haunting and captivating track that leaves much up to interpretation. Its mix of playful and dangerous imagery creates a unique atmosphere that lingers long after the song has ended.


Line by Line Meaning

Hey, shady baby, I'm hot like the prodigal son
I'm feeling confident and powerful like the biblical character who returned home after wasting all his inheritance.


Pick a petal eenie meenie miney moe, And, flower, you're the chosen one
Choosing you is as easy as playing a children's game.


Well, your left hand's free And your right's in a grip With another left hand Watch his right hand slip Towards his gun, oh, no
You're in a dangerous situation where someone could pull a gun on you at any moment.


I tackle weeds just so the moon buggers nibble A right hand grip on his Colt single-action army, oh no
I'm doing something pointless and dangerous, and someone nearby has a gun.


N-E-O, O-M-G, gee whiz Girl you're the one for me Though your man's bigger than I am All my days he disagrees, oh, no (Speak easy)
I'm attracted to you even though your partner is physically stronger than me, and it's causing problems.


Well, my left hand's free Well, my left hand's free Well, my left hand's free, oh no
I'm emphasizing that my left hand is free, unlike the dangerous situation described earlier.


Hey, shady baby, I'm hot Like the prodigal son Pick a petal eenie meenie miney moe And, flower, you're the chosen one
Repeating the earlier verses about feeling confident and choosing a partner.


Well, your left hand's free Well, my left hand's free Well, my left hand's free Well, my left hand's free Well, my left hand's free oh, no
Repeating the earlier verse about emphasizing the freedom of my left hand.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@kittythornton4472

The Outer Banks...
Paradise on Earth.

And that's me.
John Booker Routledge.
And this is where I live, it's the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses.
Two tribes, one island.

That's my crew. We're the working class who make a living busing tables, running charters... And our mission this summer is to have a good time all the time.

"guys, I think there's a boat down there..."

"this was my father's..."



"my dad is missing. You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish."


"you deserve to know the truth.



"I know this sounds crazy, okay... But I'm pretty sure he got away with 400 million in gold"


"we're gonna be filthy rich man."



"you guys ready to jack some loot?"

"woogity woogity woogity"



"you kids don't think you're the only ones after the Royal Merchant, now do you?"



"what are you, a fugitive, John B?"

"fugitive-adjacent... I'm on a treasure hunt."

Laughs "oh, you're serious."



"if they're willing to kill for the gold then it's gotta be out there, JJ"

"Have you lost your mind?! If you keep going down this road, you're going to end up just like your dad!"




"I know you have feelings for John B, but, sweetheart, he's dangerous."




"I can't pretend like this isn't real"


"you're in way over you're head"



Finding it... That's where you're fun ends.

That's where all your problems begin.



@donaldj.murray721

"Left Hand Free"

Ain't shady baby
I'm hot like the prodigal son
Pick a petal, eeny meeny miny mo
And flower, you're the chosen one

Well your left hand's free
And your right's in grip
With another left hand
Watch his right hand slip
Towards his gun
Oh no

I tackle, we tussle
And oh my days we're rolling
My right hand's gripped on his 
Colt single action army 
Oh no

Well your left hand's free
And your right's in grip
With another left hand
Watch his right hand slip
Towards his gun 
Oh no

N-E-O OMG
Gee whiz, girl, you're the one for me
Though your man is bigger than I am
All oh my days he disagrees
Oh no
(Speak easy)

Well, my left hand's free [x3]
Oh no

Ain't shady baby
I'm hot like the prodigal son
Pick a petal, eeny meeny miny mo
And flower, you're the chosen one

Well, your left hand's free
Well, my left hand's free [x4]
Oh no



@AgilityDZN

Mike's MOCS+
Okay sorry, my bad!

Listen guys, I only got one job today and I gotta impress Mr Stark; so I'm really sorr- what the hel- AHHHHH.

Bucky:
Couldn't you have done that earlier?

Sam:
I hate you.



All comments from YouTube:

@averymae2290

“the outer banks, paradise on earth”

@robbie5021

and that’s me, john buccarellich

@avam4129

yeah i said it hahaha

@robbie5021

Samantha Kessens idek i just sounded it out like my second grade teacher told me

@sydneybooker5519

robbie lester I’m pretty sure it’s John Booker routledge idk tho no shade

@robbie5021

Sydney Booker waif that makes so much more sense your right

249 More Replies...

@paulamozolli

This song makes me want to live a badass adventure

@apexprofessionalhoning716

Paula Mozolli or get into a fight

@kelbipierce905

soooooo... obx?

@aidang670

cause of outer banks?

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